Editorial: Parking meters' long goodbye

Published: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7:28 p.m.

Sarasota's decision to charge for street parking downtown was not made in haste. Master plans were consulted, consultants were hired, studies were performed and public meetings conducted.

Yet, on Monday — with little advance notice to the public — the City Commission voted 3-2 to end its pay-for-parking scheme.

The abrupt end to paid parking left important questions unanswered:

•How will the financially stressed city pay for enforcement of parking laws downtown and elsewhere in Sarasota?

•Is there any way for the city to recoup part of its financial outlays — totaling $1 million — for purchase and installation of pay stations and parking meters?

Nevertheless, we don't argue with Commissioners Paul Caragiulo, Shannon Snyder and Terry Turner, who voted Monday to put the kibosh on the parking program.

Complaints about computerized pay stations — a key component of the city's paid parking regime — had been voiced since they were put into use 11 months ago.

Despite public-relations campaigns and a brief suspension of the program, complaints from pay station users persisted. The stations' screens could be difficult to view, especially on sunny days, and there were credible anecdotal reports from users that they had trouble getting the machines to accept coins. Furthermore, even tech-savvy young people were observed having difficulty with the pay stations.

City officials acknowledged that the computerized network sometimes lagged. The system has multiple parts (including keypads, software and wireless network) and it's important that they mesh seamlessly. If the city has documentation to that effect, it should be provided, because the near-universal perception — stated bluntly and repeatedly at Monday's commission meeting — is that pay stations "aren't working."

To that end, the City Commission should examine whether taxpayers deserve to be reimbursed — even partially — by the vendor for an investment in machinery that doesn't appear to have met expectations.

It became painfully evident during a public workshop conducted by the city staff last month that:

•Animosity toward the parking regime was aimed at the pay stations.

•Upset merchants and customers downtown felt the city was unresponsive to their needs and concerns.

When the city first chose to pursue paid parking downtown, a reasonable case for it was made — especially as a part of a system that included the city-funded Palm Avenue parking garage. In theory (and in practice in many cities) meters become a useful tool that helps drive parking turnover efficiency and revenue for enforcement.

But over and over, Sarasotans made clear that the basis of their objections was the frustration of using the pay stations, not the cost of paying for parking.

Unfortunately, eliminating that frustration will cost the city money. "Unplanting" all those meters and pay stations, getting new signs made up and installed to re-post previous parking rules, and figuring out how to pay for enforcement won't be cheap.

By dismantling the program, the city has shown (belatedly) that it is responsive to citizens. Now it must show that it can afford the change.

<p>Sarasota's decision to charge for street parking downtown was not made in haste. Master plans were consulted, consultants were hired, studies were performed and public meetings conducted.</p><p>Yet, on Monday — with little advance notice to the public — the City Commission voted 3-2 to end its pay-for-parking scheme.</p><p>The abrupt end to paid parking left important questions unanswered:</p><p>•How will the financially stressed city pay for enforcement of parking laws downtown and elsewhere in Sarasota?</p><p>•Is there any way for the city to recoup part of its financial outlays — totaling $1 million — for purchase and installation of pay stations and parking meters?</p><p>Nevertheless, we don't argue with Commissioners Paul Caragiulo, Shannon Snyder and Terry Turner, who voted Monday to put the kibosh on the parking program.</p><p>Complaints about computerized pay stations — a key component of the city's paid parking regime — had been voiced since they were put into use 11 months ago. </p><p>Despite public-relations campaigns and a brief suspension of the program, complaints from pay station users persisted. The stations' screens could be difficult to view, especially on sunny days, and there were credible anecdotal reports from users that they had trouble getting the machines to accept coins. Furthermore, even tech-savvy young people were observed having difficulty with the pay stations.</p><p>City officials acknowledged that the computerized network sometimes lagged. The system has multiple parts (including keypads, software and wireless network) and it's important that they mesh seamlessly. If the city has documentation to that effect, it should be provided, because the near-universal perception — stated bluntly and repeatedly at Monday's commission meeting — is that pay stations "aren't working."</p><p>To that end, the City Commission should examine whether taxpayers deserve to be reimbursed — even partially — by the vendor for an investment in machinery that doesn't appear to have met expectations.</p><p>It became painfully evident during a public workshop conducted by the city staff last month that:</p><p>•Animosity toward the parking regime was aimed at the pay stations.</p><p>•Upset merchants and customers downtown felt the city was unresponsive to their needs and concerns.</p><p>When the city first chose to pursue paid parking downtown, a reasonable case for it was made — especially as a part of a system that included the city-funded Palm Avenue parking garage. In theory (and in practice in many cities) meters become a useful tool that helps drive parking turnover efficiency and revenue for enforcement.</p><p>But over and over, Sarasotans made clear that the basis of their objections was the frustration of using the pay stations, not the cost of paying for parking.</p><p>Unfortunately, eliminating that frustration will cost the city money. "Unplanting" all those meters and pay stations, getting new signs made up and installed to re-post previous parking rules, and figuring out how to pay for enforcement won't be cheap.</p><p>By dismantling the program, the city has shown (belatedly) that it is responsive to citizens. Now it must show that it can afford the change.</p>